Santa’s sleigh has landed in Midland! If you missed the big night, check out these photos from the event. Families can visit Santa at his house on the corner of M-20 and Main Street.
Crystal Gwizdala – Santa has been coming to town ahead of his Christmas Eve deliveries since 1987, when the Santa House was built for him by the Midland Area Community Foundation.
Crystal Gwizdala – To prepare for Santa, a portion of downtown Midland’s streets were closed.
Crystal Gwizdala – Crowds bundle up to brave the rainy weather. Salvation Army volunteers pass out hot chocolate just off Main Street.
Crystal Gwizdala – The Mid Michigan Brass Band fills the streets with smooth, orchestral Christmas music.
Crystal Gwizdala – Eager families bustle toward the Tridge, where Santa and Mrs. Claus will be arriving.
Crystal Gwizdala – Santa was greeted by enthusiastic children and adults alike. The crowd then sang, “Santa’s Coming to Town.”
Crystal Gwizdala – Mr. & Mrs.Claus hop aboard their sleigh to ride to the Midland County Courthouse for the ceremonial lighting.
Crystal Gwizdala – In honor of Rudolph leading the sleigh, the crowd sings, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Some shout out the extra, silly lyrics.
Crystal Gwizdala – Midland Police helped clear the way for Santa’s sleigh.
Crystal Gwizdala – With so many people packing the sidewalks, it could be difficult to get a view of Santa.
Crystal Gwizdala – Mrs. Claus and Santa warmly greeted Midland.
Crystal Gwizdala – Restaurant-goers and shoppers could be seen peeking out the windows to catch a glimpse of Santa on his sleigh.
Crystal Gwizdala – Sharon Mortensen, MACF President & CEO, addresses the crowd. The annual lighting has been a tradition since the 1930s, when Grace A. Dow had small trees decorated w/lights there.
Crystal Gwizdala – Once Santa has the keys to his house in hand, he has the honor of lighting the courthouse.
Crystal Gwizdala – The electricity for powering the courthouse is fabled to come all the way from the North Pole, so sometimes the timing can be off. Not this year.
Crystal Gwizdala – Santa and Mrs. Claus head for the Santa House, stopping for photos and saying “hi” along the way.
Crystal Gwizdala – The Santa House is located at the corner of M-20 and Main Street at 301 W. Main St.
Crystal Gwizdala – Due to the cozy nature of Santa’s House, a limited number of people are allowed in at a time. Santa’s elves help direct families, take photos, and keep everything tidy.
Crystal Gwizdala – Mrs. Claus & Santa at home…
Crystal Gwizdala – The courthouse and Santa House will remain lit throughout the holiday season. Because Santa will be busy delivering presents, the Santa House will be closed on Christmas Eve.
Santa came to town on Nov. 29, a rainy, breezy night. A warm reception from locals welcomed him as he crossed the Tridge and paraded through downtown on his sleigh. Shortly after 7 p.m., he arrived at the Midland County Courthouse, where he received the keys to his house and performed the annual courthouse lighting.
Since Santa’s House was built in 1987, he’s been visiting his home in Midland ahead of his scheduled Christmas Eve deliveries. The house is located next to the courthouse at 301 W. Main St. It’s a proud project of the Midland Area Community Foundation.
Crystal Gwizdala is a freelance writer with a focus on health and science. As a lifelong resident of the Tri-Cities, she loves sharing how our communities are overcoming challenges. Crystal is also a serial hobbyist — her interests range from hiking or drawing to figuring out how to do a handstand. Her work can be seen in Wide Open Eats, The Xylom, Woman & Home, and The Detroit Free Press. To see what Crystal’s up to, you can follow her on Twitter @CrystalGwizdala.
